More Fashion-Conscious Men Suffer from Bunions

Published on 2015/03/08 | Source

A growing number of men are suffering from bunions, an unsightly ailment usually associated with women who wear uncomfortable high heels.

The National Health Insurance Service said Sunday that data from 2009 to 2013 show that the number of sufferers grew from 41,657 to 55,931.

According to the NHIS, 84.7 percent or 47,366 in 2013 were women. But the number of men suffering from bunions increased 13.1 percent on average over the last five years, almost double the 6.8 percent rise for women.

The increase was particularly steep among men in their 20s and 30s, growing from 1,018 in 2009 to 1,747 in 2013, while the number of women in their 30s and 40s actually dropped over the same period from 12,123 to 11,918.

Park Min-jung at NHIS Ilsan Hospital said, "There are more fashion-conscious young men wearing tight dress shoes, while more and more women opt for comfortable footwear like pumps and sneakers".

According to the NHIS, the best way to prevent bunions is to stay away from tight-fitting shoes with high heels. Complications can lead to pain in the knees, hips and back.